Napa Valley, California | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Napa Valley, California** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Today Mike and I are celebrating our fifth wedding anniversary – five years ago at this moment I was sitting down to a beautiful breakfast in the dining room of the Fontainebleu Inn giddy with excitement and nerves for the day to come. I can’t actually remember what I ate but I think crispy potatoes were involved, maybe waffles? Let’s hope it was waffles.

After a day filled with joy and lots of dancing we re-packed our bags and flew to San Francisco for a honeymoon trip in Napa. It worked out beautifully that we were in Northern California earlier this month and had a chance to revisit one of my favorite places in the world for an anniversary trip.

There were a handful of spots that stood out five years ago and we found some new places on this trip that have become new favorites. If you have a chance to go I highly recommend putting at least a few of these on your itinerary.

Frog's Leap | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Frog's Leap** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Sip:
Frog’s Leap – We had fond memories of sipping wine on the back porch here and had to come back. FL takes a lot of pride in growing grapes and making wine with great respect for the environment, and that feeling of communing with the valley carries through to the tasting experience. A perfect spot to relax, watch the bees buzz, and let the magic of Napa fall over you.

Paraduxx – A new find on this trip and we absolutely fell in love with the wines as evidenced by how difficult it was to choose which ones to bring home. A laid back vibe with really warm, friendly guidance from the tasting room hosts. Who doesn’t want to try a glass (or six) while surrounded by rustling vineyards?

Tamber Bey – The excellent wine and location on Sundance Ranch make Tamber Bey unique, as do the pairings: specially prepared miniature cookies. The combinations are developed by local pastry chef Michelle Romaine and it’s amazing to see in action the way a chardonnay is transformed by lemony shortbread spiked with pink peppercorn. But, I bet I had you at cookies, right?

Tamber Bey | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Tamber Bey** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Gott's Roadside (aka Taylor's Refresher) | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Gott's Roadside (aka Taylor's Refresher)** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Dine:
Ad Hoc – This was the first place we had dinner on our honeymoon and the memory of that fried chicken has lived on in our dreams. Definitely an auspicious beginning. The atmosphere is casual, but don’t be fooled – this is a Thomas Keller restaurant and the cooking is top-notch. Ice cream sandwiches for dessert don’t hurt anything either!

Gott’s Roadside (neé Taylor’s Refresher) – Classic roadside food of the type popularized by In N Out and Shake Shack on their respective coasts. We kept it old-school with a cheeseburgers and diet coke. The grassy backyard dotted with red picnic tables and shaded by umbrellas combined with the mid-century vibe make it easy to pretend you’ve been transported into a Beach Boys song.

Oakville Grocery – Another re-visit, but when the food is this good it’s hard to blame us. We made this our lunch stop on the biking day and I was grateful for the miles covered when it came time to choose a sandwich. So many great combinations and delicious treats it’s hard to decide where to start, so here’s a hint: roast turkey with apple jam and pickled red onions.

The Restaurant at Meadowood – Probably the most elegant, beautifully prepared and presented meal I’ve ever eaten. The entire tasting menu is full of whimsical touches and the experience feels like an adventure – who knows what delicious and inventive bite will arrive next? I really can’t overstate the attention to detail in every dish and in the service. Definitely a place for a very special occasion.

Oakville Grocery | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Oakville Grocery** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Solage Calistoga | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Solage Calistoga** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Stay & Do:
Solage – Is it possible for Napa (a little oasis in and of itself) to be more tranquil? Somehow this boutique hotel in Calistoga manages to distill that peace and amplify it with carefully appointed rooms in a gorgeous setting. Case in point: real milk in the fridge to go with a freshly brewed pot of coffee, from actual grounds. In a world where shelf stable creamers and pods seem standard this alone wins my devotion. I wish we had more time to sample the spa and make better use of the pool, but all the more reason to go back!

Napa Valley Bike Tours – There's an almost 0% chance that I'm going to hit the gym while I'm on vacation. A little ambient exercise is more my speed - a long walk, or in this case a bike ride fit the bill. The valley is easy to navigate, so we did a self-guided tour and NVBT makes it simple and stress-free with helpful maps, wine pick-ups, and great recommendations. It's also a cool way to stop and smell the roses along the way, see the valley from a different perspective.

I visited a winery for the first time when I was in college (the Finger Lakes are known for wine production) and it’s been love ever since, up to and including our honeymoon trip to Napa four years ago. Mike and I bought a few bottles for celebratory occasions – some of which we still have - and continue to take home ‘souvenirs’ whenever we taste something great. It’s a fun way to remember a trip months after you’re back home.

Santa Ynez Valley, California | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Santa Ynez Valley, California** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

So, when we received an invitation to a wedding in the Santa Ynez Valley – home of Santa Barbara’s wine country - we knew we had to tack on a few extra days for some ‘scouting.’ The valley is about 2 hours north of Los Angeles (depending on traffic, of course) and about 30 minutes east of Santa Barbara. Alternate time behind the wheel so you can take in the gorgeous vistas as you drive over the mountains from the coast - beautiful!

We found some great places during our long weekend and after the hustle of Manhattan it felt so restful to be in the country for a few days. We’d love to go back!

Here’s what we did:

Stay:

Hotel Corque I personally love to see a place on foot (you can take the girl out of the city…) and this hotel is right in the heart of Solvang, so it was easy to walk the town right from the front door. Service was hospitable; our room was very comfortable and immaculately clean, so top points there. Definitely a solid choice as a base of operations.

Solvang, California | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Solvang, California** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

See:

Wineries! There are a ton of options, both in the countryside and among the tasting rooms in Los Olivos and Solvang. Here are two where we particularly liked the wine and the tasting experience: Beckmen Vineyards and Stolpmann Vineyards Tasting Room. Yes, we brought home 'souvenirs.'

Los Olivos I loved the Western frontier town vibe here, even though Los Olivos has been on the map for more than 150 years. The architecture is a charming mix of Victorian gingerbread and prairie tin roof. Plan to spend a day or so wandering the streets and investigating the shops, - Los Olivos General Store was my absolute favorite, one of everything please! – visiting the tasting rooms, and browsing the art galleries.

Solvang feels like a storybook Nordic village was dropped into the California countryside and has the claim to fame of being the setting for the movie Sideways. It’s a mix of Scandinavian influences, but I think the Danish have a slight advantage…. Lots of picture taking opportunities – windmills, nesting stork statues, and whimsical architectural details.

Wildling Museum in Solvang is a small museum, but had two excellent and completely different exhibitions on during my visit. I loved both Thomas Paquette’s luminous landscape paintings of National Parks and Everett Ruess’s rustic woodblock prints of the California wilderness.

Eat:

Bouchon we drove over to Santa Barbara one evening for a special dinner here and really enjoyed the dining experience. The food was delicious and the service was attentive and welcoming. Definitely try the scallops three ways and the lemon blue berry upside down cake – amazing!

Fresco Valley Café is tucked away off the main street, but well worth the few extra steps. We had a lovely, relaxing lunch in their garden (quiche Lorraine for me, Italian sandwich for Mike) one afternoon. The food is definitely fresh, as the restaurant name would suggest, and skillfully prepared. I did (begrudgingly) share a bite of my quiche but it was hard to give up.

Old Mission Santa Inés, Solvang, California I Image: Laura Messersmith — **Old Mission Santa Inés, Solvang, California** I Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Olsens Danish Village Bakery is a family owned, casual café and bakery where I picked up a quick breakfast of pastries our first morning. Apricot Danish for me, savory ham and cheese croissant for Mike; and I dearly wished I had a purchased seconds. Really flaky, light pastry and a delicious, not overly sweet filling with whole pieces of apricot. I didn’t share…

Paula’s Pancake House seems to be a Solvang institution and I can see why it’s a favorite for both locals and visitors. I have high standards and I loved the thin, slightly lemony flavor of Paula’s Special Danish pancakes with strawberries. Mike was really happy with the California Special Omelet he had – excellent flavor, nice fresh avocado. Classic diner with a Danish twist.

Sides Hardware and Shoes Don’t let the name fool you; this is an excellent restaurant in Los Olivos that you absolutely must try. Sides is rocking that fine line between casual and polished both in their food and in the atmosphere. We can attest to the deliciousness of the Fried Brussels Sprouts, Fried Chicken Sandwich, and the Bacon Burger. An excellent spot to stop between wine tastings.

Los Olivos, California | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Los Olivos, California** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Napa Anniversary Trip

Scouting: Santa Ynez Valley, California